How to find BitLocker recovery key on Windows 11

• To find your PC’s BitLocker recovery key on Windows 11 (or 10), open your “Microsoft account” online and confirm the recovery from the “Devices” page.
• You can also retrieve the encryption key from a text file, printout, or network administrator, depending on how the feature was initially configured.
• These instructions work for Windows 11 Pro and Home.

UPDATED 11/11/2025: On Windows 11 (and 10), your computer may already be encrypted without you realizing it. Microsoft now enables BitLocker or Device Encryption automatically on many devices that meet the hardware security requirements, such as TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot. As part of this process, the system generates a unique BitLocker recovery key, a 48-digit password that allows you to unlock the drive if the boot environment has changed and encryption fails.

Usually, you won’t need to use this recovery key, but issues such as firmware updates, system corruption, or TPM (Trusted Platform Module) issues can trigger the BitLocker Recovery Mode. If that happens and you can’t locate the recovery key, you won’t be able to access your files or start Windows 11 without resetting the device.

Thankfully, as part of the encryption automated process, the operating system always tries to save the encryption recovery key in your Microsoft account. However, if you enable BitLocker manually, the recovery key will be stored at the location you specified.

Although Windows 11 Home doesn’t include BitLocker, Microsoft offers the “Device Encryption” feature, a limited version of BitLocker. As a result, these instructions apply to the “Pro” and “Home” editions of the operating system.

In this guide, I will explain how to find your device encryption recovery key on Windows 11 and Windows 10.

• How to find your BitLocker recovery key on Windows 11
• How to use the BitLocker recovery key on Windows 11
• FAQs about BitLocker recovery keys on Windows 11

How to find your BitLocker recovery key on Windows 11

On Windows 11 (and 10), you can find your computer’s BitLocker (or Device Encryption) recovery key in multiple ways, depending on the option you selected during setup or whether the system configured encryption automatically.

1. Find your recovery key from your Microsoft account

To find your BitLocker key on your Microsoft account, use these steps:

1. Open the BitLocker recovery keys page online.

2. Sign in with your Microsoft account credentials (as necessary).

3. Confirm the device name and “Key ID” to find the correct BitLocker recovery key.

   

It’s important to note that the system will only upload the encryption recovery key if you choose the “Save to your Microsoft account” option during encryption, if Windows 11 enables BitLocker automatically during installation, or if you turn on “Device Encryption” from the Settings app and your account uses a Microsoft account.

Once you complete the steps, the page will include all available BitLocker recovery keys, the uploaded date, key ID, and drive type.

The drive type can have different values, depending on where drive encryption was configured.

• OSV: Operating System Volume. This would be the primary drive where the operating system resides.
• FDV: Fixed Data Volume. This would be any secondary drive where you only store files and apps.
• RDV: Removable Data Volume. This would apply to removable drives, such as USB flash drives or USB external storage devices.

If the recovery key isn’t available on your Microsoft account, you can try disabling BitLocker and re-enabling it on Windows 11 Pro, or Device Encryption on Windows 11 Home or Pro.

2. Find your recovery key from a printed copy

If you enabled BitLocker manually on Windows 11 or 10, you may have chosen the “Print the recovery key” option. If this is the case, you will need to find the paper printout where you usually save your important documents to retrieve the key to unlock your computer.

3. Find your recovery key from a text file

If you select the “Save to a file” option during the encryption process, you must access the file’s storage location with the BitLocker recovery key. Usually, you would have saved the file on a USB drive. If this is the case, connect the flash drive to a device to have access, and open the file with any text editor to find the recovery key.

4. Ask your organization or IT administrator

If your device is connected to an organization or school network, you will need to contact your network administrator for assistance retrieving and applying a recovery key.

How to use the BitLocker recovery key on Windows 11

If the device encounters an issue during startup due to BitLocker, you will be prompted to confirm your recovery key. In this case, you will have to use these steps:

1. Confirm the “Recovery Key ID” (first octet).

2. Open the BitLocker recovery key using one of the methods outlined above.

3. Find the “Key ID” that matches the “Recovery Key ID” (see step 1) to confirm the “Recovery Key” for the computer.

   

4. Enter the recovery key in the BitLocker blue screen.

   

5. Click the Continue button.

After you complete the steps, the computer will unlock, and Windows will start normally. However, you will still need to sign in with your credentials to access your account.

In the past, I encountered the recovery screen during startup because of an issue with the system’s TPM, but I wasn’t aware that Windows 11 automatically configures encryption during installation. However, when I looked for the recovery key, I found out that the operating system never backed up the BitLocker key to my cloud account, so I didn’t have any other choice but to reset the operating system and remove everything.

On the bright side, this happened on a secondary computer I use for testing, so I didn’t have any important files to recover.

The moral of this incident is that since this problem can happen at any time, it’s crucial to always have a backup of your BitLocker recovery key.

FAQs about BitLocker recovery keys on Windows 11

Here’s a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) and answers about the BitLocker recovery keys on Windows 11.

Where can I find my BitLocker recovery key on Windows 11?

You can find your recovery key in several ways, depending on how encryption was configured. It may be stored in your Microsoft account under the “Devices” section, printed out during the initial setup, saved as a text file on a USB drive or other external storage, or (if your device is managed by an organization) available by contacting your network administrator.

Do Windows 11 Home devices have BitLocker?

Windows 11 Home does not include full BitLocker, but it offers “Device Encryption,” a limited version that automatically encrypts your drive on supported hardware. The recovery key is saved to your Microsoft account when you sign in with one.

Can Windows 11 automatically encrypt my computer?

Yes. Many modern Windows 11 devices with TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot are encrypted automatically during setup. Even if you didn’t enable BitLocker manually, your system may already be encrypted.

When would I need to use my BitLocker recovery key?

You might be asked to enter your recovery key if BitLocker detects a potential security risk. This can happen when the TPM chip notices changes in firmware or hardware, system files become corrupted, a system update activates BitLocker Recovery Mode, or the operating system can’t verify the integrity of the boot environment.

How do I know which recovery key to use on the BitLocker recovery screen?

You have to match the Recovery Key ID displayed on the BitLocker blue screen with the Key ID listed in your Microsoft account, printed copy, or text file. Enter the corresponding 48-digit key to unlock your device.

What should I do if I cannot find my recovery key?

If you lose the recovery key, you won’t be able to unlock the drive. The only solution is to reset the computer and reinstall the operating system, which will erase all files. Always ensure you have multiple backups of your recovery key.

How can I prevent losing my BitLocker recovery key in the future?

To ensure you don’t lose access to your encrypted device, it’s important to securely back up your recovery key. You can save it to your Microsoft account during the encryption setup, keep a printed copy, or store it as a text file on a secure USB drive. After enabling encryption, it’s also a good idea to verify that the key has been successfully uploaded to your cloud account.

Update November 11, 2021: This guide has been updated to ensure accuracy and reflect changes to the process.